Timer



y 930. T. J. SMULSKI 1,757,342

TIMER Filed Febfz, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- j iwewr- 560%, J G ma/5A1" May 6, 1930. TQJQsM uLskiY y11 f I 1,157,342

' TIMER Filed Feb. 2; 1923' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lgazfwaaes: fzzwewf flaw/53374 44 Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEODORE J. SMULSKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ANDERSON (30., OF

GARY, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA TIMER Application filerl February 2, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in timers, and more particularly has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described which shall be simple, convenient, compact, durable, reliable, efficient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

The invention has among its other objects the product-ion of a timer in which substantially all the wearing parts thereof shall be detachably removable without entirely disassembling the timer.

Another object of my invention is to provide wiper contacts or parts that are interchangeable and preferably stamped so that they will be extremely low in manufacturing cost.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described,

5 and more particularly pointed out in the claims. In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device as applied to an engine;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the line le-4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 isa section taken substantiallyon the line 77 of Fig. 2; and

a Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

The shell or casing 1 may be of any preferred size, shape or material, preferably of the form 5 shown and having circumferentially spaced In the drawings, wherein I'have illustrat Serial No. 616,545.

openings therethrough to receive the terminal contacts 3, and to which the connecting wires (not shown), leading from any source of suitable electrical energy, may be detachably connected.

Adjacent to each of the terminals-3 and carried by the casing are brackets 4, preferably of stamped metal and U-shaped in cross section. One of the legs 5 0f the U part is provided with an aperture, through which the terminal 3 extends, and by which the bracket part 4 is secured in place in the casing, the parallel leg 6 having an elongated aperture 7 therethrough extending longitudinally of the axis of the casing.

Upon each of the brackets 4: are adapted to be mounted a contact or wiper 8 of rigid material, each with a portion intermediate its ends curved transversely thereof to pivot the wiper on the leg 6 of the bracket in such man-' ner that the wiper may pivotrlongitudinally with respect to a rotary contact hereinafter described, the inner edge of the wiper cooperating with the connecting web of the flanges 5 and 6 to limit lateral movement of the wiper in one-direction.

One of the ends of the contact is bent laterally, as at 9, this bent portion adapted to extend through the opening 7 of the bracket and providing a hinge 0r pivot about which the contact may be pivotally swung or lifted. The other end of the contact is curvedor formed arcuate in cross section, as at 10, this portion overhanging the leg 6 and extending radially inwardly when mounted thereon in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and forming the wiping portion of the contact, as will be more clearly hereinafter described.

A lug or projection 11 may be formed or carried by the contact member 8, forming a center or stop for one end of a coil spring 12, which is interposed between the contact and the timer casing to resiliently resist the'upward movement or lifting of the contact member, as will be apparent.

Adapted to cooperate with the contacts is a rotary contact member, formed preferably of a single piece of rigid material of any suit-' able size and shape, bent as at 13 to encircle a drive shaft 14, and having a portion of its periphery radially offset, as at 15, to provide a cam or wiping surface adapted to successively engage the wiping surfaces oi? the stationary contact members.

The rotary contact may be removably secured to the drive shaft 14 by means or" a pin or the like 16, as shown. Both the removable and stationary contacts are of rigid construction and may be formed from stampings or the like, as desired, and in this manner their cost will be extremely low, while their accuracy will be maintained. The parts as formed in this manner need not be ground or otherwise finished on their wiping or contact surfaces unless so desired, thus further reducing the cost of manufacture.

It will. be obvious that as the shaft 14 rotates, the movable contact carried thereby will successively engage the portions 10 of the stationary contacts, lifting or tilting these last-mentioned contacts asit passes under them, the springs 12 resiliently resisting the lifting movement and resetting the contacts after each lift. In case of any backfiring, there can be no parts broken or damaged be cause the rotor engages only the arcuate por tions of the stationary contacts. The web of the brackets and the hinged connection between them and the stationary contacts ab 1 solutely prevents any lateral play of the contacts carried thereat and thus provides a firm wiping surface between the parts, which greatly increases the eiiiciency of the device. Any of the contacts may be renewed at will without taking the entire timer apart, as will be clearly apparent, the stationary contacts being removed by lifting them slightly to dis engage thehinged end and then withdrawing them, and the rotary contact ma 1 be removed after removing the key 16.

This construction, because of the lateral. or eccentric adjustment of the brush or contact member without appreciably affecting the accuracy of the timer, makes it also unnecessary to hold the manufacturer to extremely close limits and this reduces the cost of production. No lubrication is required because all friction is centered in the wipe where friction is desirable in order to affect contact of highest efiiciency.

End play of the cam shaft in other types of timers causes excessive wear. Herc, however, end play does not interfere with precision or accuracy of timing or efi'ect injury or wear oi the parts.

Lateral play of the cam shaft similar to that in many other devices may cause irregularity of firing. V This is not the case here because of the small radius at the contact end, and appreciable differences in efiiciency' are not found.

In many other timers, the time available for reaction of the brush to react at contact position is less than 90 of travel of the cam,

and this makes necessary the use of excessive- 1 heav s Jrin 's to et reaction of the brush y n h in a short time. Heavier springs, however,

ciseinstant to give the highest engine efficiency and economy and power.

In this device the brush is rigid, and each of the contacts resilient, and the time avail able for reaction for the contact part to correct contact position, is approximately for 860 travel of the brush.

It will also be noted that the angle of contact is the same Whether the brush is forward or backward, either running or back firing.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that -various immaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

lVhat-I claim as new and desire to secure by of said contacts, and a rotary contact movable in said casing to successively engage and lift said arcuate over-hanging ends of firstmentioned contacts to tilt them about their hinged ends.

2. A timer comprising a rigid rotary contact, a plurality of contacts disposed around said rotary contact, each of said plurality of contacts lying in a common plane normal to the axis of rotation of said rotary contact, means for loosely pivoting one end of each of said plurality of contacts to prevent engagement of said end by said rotary contact and to permit engagement and displacement of the other end by said rotary contact, each of said plurality of contacts being arranged to roll in a plane normal to the firstof contacts disposed around said rotary contact, each of said plurality of contacts lying in a common plane normal to said axis of retation of said rotary contact, means for loosely pivoting one end of each of said plurality of contacts to prevent engagement of said end by said rotary contact and to permit engagement and displacement of the other end by said rotary contact, each of said plurality of contacts being arranged to roll in a plane normal to the first-mentioned plane, and yielding means for preventing displacement of said plurality of contacts by said rotary contact.

i. A timer comprising a rigid rotary contact, rigid movable contacts engageable by said rotary contact and provided with substantially arcuate surfaces, and means for mounting said movable contacts to permit angular displacement thereof in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said rotary contact, said means comprising a bracket, a slot in said bracket, said arcuate surfaces being engageable with said slot to roll thereon in a direction substantially normal to said plane.

5. A timer comprising a rotary contact, a casing, brackets carried by said casing, a movable substantially rigid contact mounted on each bracket and provided with means interengageable there with so as to be loosely pivoted thereto, and a spring for each movable contact for yieldingly preventing angular displacement thereof and for preventing accidental removal thereof from the bracket, one end only of each movable contact being extended beyond the bracket to be engaged by the rotary contact, said end being shaped arcuately.

6. A timer comprising a rotary contact, a casing, brackets carried by the casing and provided with apertures, movable contacts provided with lugs projecting through said apertures to pivot said movable contacts on the brackets, and a spring for each movable contact for yieldingly preventing angularly displacement thereof and for preventing accidental removal thereof from the bracket, one end only of each movable contact being extended beyond the bracket to be engaged by the rotary contact.

7. A timer comprising a casing, a rotary of contacts mounted in the casing, and a rotary contact engageable with said series of contacts and formed of a tubular stamping adapted to encircle a shaft, the wall of said tubular stamping being substantially of equal thickness throughout and being offset to provide a ridge-like projection extending longitudinally thereof.

9. A tlmer comprising a casing, a rotary contact disposed within the casing, and movable contacts carried by the casing and engageable with said rotary contacts, each of said movable contacts having one of its ends loosely pivoted with respect to the casing to permit angular displacement thereof in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of said rotary contact and each of said movable contacts being provided with an arcuate surface permitting it to rock in a plane normal to the first-mentioned plane.

10. A timer comprising a rotary contact, pivotally mounted contacts, the free ends of said pivotally mounted contacts being arcuate in shape and being engageable by said rotary contact, and helical springs abutting against the pivotally mounted contacts for detachably securing said pivotally mounted contacts in place and for yieldingly preventing angular displacement thereof by said rotary contact.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

THEODORE J. SMULSKI.

contact disposed within the casing, a plural ity of brackets carried by the casing, and binding posts for each bracket, a movable contact loosely pivoted upon each of said brackets, said movable contacts being engageable by said rotary contact, and a spring in terposed between each movable contact and its associated binding post for yieldingly preventing displacement of said movable contact relative to its bracket. said springs being retained in operative positions by said binding posts.

8. A timer comprising a casing, a series 

